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< Back Strawberry, Everbearing - 'Albion' Strawberry Albion' strawberry produces very large fruit that is mostly conical, very firm and red in color. It's flavor is excellent for a day-neutral cultivar. Compared to Seascape, Albion bears larger and slightly firmer berries, and is more disease resistant. Albion's disease package includes resistance to verticillium, phytophthora crown rot, and partial resistance to anthracnose crown rot. Good freezing quality. To get the high yields it is capable of producing, this variety will need a stronger watering and nutrient program than any other everbearer. Wider plant spacing will deliver the largest berries. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-7 with a height of 6-8 inches and a spread of 3 feet. Requires more than 6 hours of daily sun and light to medium moisture. Plant strawberries in early spring. Water them often through July. Remove flowers the first year and fertilize and water regularly. Do not plant them where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, or okra were planted the previous year. There is a disease that sometimes attacks these plants that will also attack strawberries. When planting, make sure that the roots are spread apart, and not tightly packed in a small hole. The plant will spread faster if the blossoms are removed so that more runners can be produced. The second year, allow the buds to stay so that fruit can be produced. Because strawberries have shallow roots, they should be fertilized during the growing season. Previous Next

< Back Plum - 'Mount Royal' Plum Tree Considered by many to be the best all-around plum for consistent crops, fruit quality and yield in tougher climate regions. Heirloom blue, European type that ripens in early to mid-Septmeber, Mount Royal Plum has dark green foliage throughout the season with leaves that turn yellow in fall. An advantage of this cultivar is that it is self- pollinating with white, showy, fragrant blooms that emerge in the spring. Blue drupes are ripe in August and are sweet and tender. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or in baked goods. This tree would fit perfectly as part of an edible landscape, orchard, under power lines, and would even make an ideal stand-alone specimen tree due to a wide opening canopy. It is extremely cold hardy. This cold-hardy variety is comfortable at Zone 4-7. It is a smaller tree, reaching a mature height of 10 to 12 ft and width of 8 to 10 ft. Mount Royal plum needs full sun and even soil moisture. It is tolerant of inner-city environments, soil type, and most pH levels. The fruit is loved by both humans and wildlife, but can be messy if it is not harvested. As for all fruit bearing trees, maintenance is needed for this tree; pruning should be done in late winter after an extreme cold. It's expected average age is 40 years in ideal conditions. For general care and maintenance of plum trees, watch for plum aphids, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth, bullfinches, silver leaf, bacterial canker, and brown rot. Previous Next

< Back Apple - 'Zestar' Apple Tree Superior cold hardiness combined with large, crunchy, juicy red fruit with a sprightly sweet-tart flavor makes 'Zestar' a must have for northern gardeners. It is an excellent choice for both fresh eating and cooking and would be a beloved treat in a lunchbox or apple pie. It will store for 6 to 8 weeks while still maintaining crunch and flavor. The tree is vigorous, upright and ripens late August to early September. An early season apple that surpasses other varieties with a crisp, juicy texture, and an exciting zesty flavor with a hint of brown sugar! Hardy in zones 3-7, 'Zestar' will grow to be approximately 12-15 feet tall and wide. Apple trees require full sunlight, and moist, well-drained, mulched soil. Also requires a pollinator, and as an early bloomer needs one of these pollinators: 'Dolgo' and 'McIntosh'; possibly, 'Honeycrisp', 'Jonathon', or 'Wealthy'. Very susceptible to apple scab so plan to treat for this fungus accordingly and watch for signs of infection. Previous Next

< Back Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'HOOPSII' This stately variety of Colorado Blue Spruce is not only extraordinary and eye-catching, but robust and strong. It is considered to be the bluest of all the Colorado Blue Spruce cultivars with its long, thick, silvery blue needles on spreading branches. In addition to it's rich, attractive foliage, it produces large magenta cones in spring. It has gained a reputation as an exceptional specimen tree and grows with a full, pyramidal form. Not one to be passed over, 'Hoopsii' definitely demands a space in the landscape. This larger spruce tree grows under ideal conditions from 30-50 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide with a moderate to fast growth rate of 15+ inches per year. It is cold hardy at USDA Hardiness zone 3 and like other spruces needs full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Colorado Blue Spruces are listed as a selection in the University of Wyoming "Conservation Trees & Shrubs For Wyoming" guide. In general, Colorado Blue Spruces can be susceptible to needle cast, canker, and rust. Aphids (particularly spruce gall aphids), scale, budworms, and bagworms can also be an issue. Spider mite invasions can cause significant problems with new growth and overall tree health. Previous Next

< Back Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'FAT ALBERT' This evergreen is a Simply Sunshine favorite due to it's tough, stout stature and it's ability to be content with very little care. 'Fat Albert' It is noted for its near perfect conical shape with a strong, straight central leader and full, pyramidal form from the time it is young through maturity. It's dense ascending branches and steel blue needle color adorned with light brown cones make this everything an evergreen should be. It can be used as a windbreak, screen, or accent tree. Because it is typically found in elevations from 6,000 feet to 11,000 feet, it is an excellent high elevation selection. Additionally, it prefers cool climates and will struggle in heat and humidity of southern states making it the perfect choice for northern plantings. Once established, 'Fat Albert' has some drought tolerance, however, the soil should be kept consistently moist in the early years. Requires no staking or training to achieve it's stature and is considered a "perfect and predictable Colorado Blue Spruce". (Iseli Nursery) Our supplier states that at maturity, 'Fat Albert' should reach 10-15 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide, although other nurseries indicate that under ideal conditions it could reach 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. USDA Hardiness puts 'Fat Albert' at a zone 2, making this tough little evergreen very cold hardy. Colorado Blue Spruces are listed as a selection in the University of Wyoming "Conservation Trees & Shrubs For Wyoming" guide. It has a moderate to fast growth rate at 15+ inches per year. It requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. During the early years while it is getting established, it needs consistent moisture. In general, Colorado Blue Spruces can be susceptible to needle cast, canker, and rust. Aphids (particularly spruce gall aphids), scale, budworms, and bagworms can also be an issue. Spider mite invasions can cause significant problems with new growth and overall tree health. Previous Next

< Back Apple - 'SnowSweet' Apple Tree Thriving in cold northern climates, 'SnowSweet' is a hardy plant that produces an abundance of delicious fruit. As a fairly new cultivar, it's mild sweet-tart, buttery flavor with rich overtones is gaining popularity for this tree. The snowy white flesh of the fruit is also ideal because it is very slow to oxidize and turn brown after cutting making it a favorite on the dinner table both fresh and as applesauce. The tree's unique open, drooping arrangement with modestly vigorous growth makes the 'SnowSweet' apple tree an appealing piece of interest in the home garden or landscape. SnowSweet' is one of many excellent apple trees developed by the University of Minnesota and sits at a zone 4a on the USDA Hardiness map. It grows to be about 12-15 feet tall and wide at maturity making it the perfect smaller fruit tree. It requires moist, well-drained, mulched soil and full sunlight. It displays average to above average resistance to scab and above average resistance to fireblight. It requires a pollinator and could be paired with 'Cortland', 'Dolgo', 'Freedom', 'Frostbite', 'Fuji', 'Gala', 'Ginger Gold', 'Golden Delicious', 'Haralson', 'Honeycrisp', 'Jonathon', 'Keepsake', 'Lady', 'McIntocsh', 'Pixie Crunch', 'Sweet Sixteen', and 'Wealthy'. Previous Next

< Back Maple (ACER NEGUNDO) - 'Sensation' ‘Sensation' was discovered by Warren Carnefix in Southwestern Idaho and it has a much improved branch structure and central leader than other varieties within the species. Spring foliage emerges brilliant in hues of copper red which fade to green with red highlights during the summer months then later turn soft, bright red in the fall. This unique and stunning tree is highly adaptable to site conditions including wet or dry soils and is extremely hardy. During it's youth, it forms a pyramidal shape and spreads as it ages. The trunk is silvery in tone and enhances the spectacular foliage beautifully. Furthermore, because it is a male seedless variety, it is considerably less attractive to boxelder bugs. Rising to a stature of 40 feet tall and roughly 30 feet wide, the 'Sensation Box Elder' Maple is nothing short of magnificent. Hardy to USDA Hardiness zone 3 and tough enough for dry, alkaline conditions, this makes an excellent specimen tree in the landscape, but looks handsome in group plantings as well. Plant this fast growing tree in full sun and water regularly. Once established, it only has moderate water requirements of 1/2" of water every 7-10 days. Pruning while young will help achieve the form you desire, but be sure to follow best pruning practices in order to promote health, provide air circulation, maintain a desirable shape, and to remove dead or damaged branches. Pruning is best done in late winter to early spring before the tree breaks dormancy. Protect the trunk especially while young to prevent damage from lawn mowing or other yard activities as well as winter burn. Previous Next

< Back Pine, Mountain (PINUS MUGO) - 'TANNENBAUM' The perfect Christmas-tree shaped evergreen with the toughness of mugo pine! 'Tannenbaum' is an upright mugo, with a broad base and pyramidal shape creating the traditional look we all love during the holiday season. The deep green needles carry a hint of gray/blue and hold their color even during winter months. This highly adaptable, hardy tree is believed to be the first single-stem tree form of Mugo Pine to be commercially produced and distributed. It was selected from hundreds of seedlings in the trial beds of McCrory Gardens at South Dakota State University and the original plant reached 10 to 11′ tall and 6′ wide after 25 years. This lovely specimen stands around 11 feet tall and 6 feet wide at maturity, although it could get taller. Some suppliers say it can reach 15 feet high and 12 feet wide. It has a moderate growth rate of about 6-12 inches per year. Like many mugos, it is incredibly cold-hardy and is rated a USDA Hardiness Zone 2. It requires full sun and is highly adaptable to a wide range of environmental and climatic conditions. It is extremely hardy, however, it won't do well in standing water and does need well-drained soil. It is not particular as to soil type or pH and is able to handle environmental salts, as well as urban pollution. Previous Next

< Back Ninebark (PHYSOCARPUS OPULIFOLIUS) - 'RASPBERRY LEMONADE' Previous Next

< Back Crabapple (Malus Gladiator) 'Gladiator' Gladiator™ Crabapple is an excellent ornamental tree for compact spaces or other size restrictions such as power lines. It's narrowly upright and columnar growth habit is adorned with a profusion of stunning, bright pink flowers in mid-spring followed by small reddish-purple fruit. Dark and glossy bronze-purple leaves remain lush all season long and are highly disease resistant. The pointy leaves transition to yellow as the autumn months set in and the showy purple pomes persist into late fall. Growing to an ideal height of 20 feet tall and 9 feet wide, 'Gladiator' is extremely cold hardy at USDA Hardiness zone 2-8. Highly adaptable to soil type or pH, but requires full sun and well-drained soil without standing water. After planting, and until established, this tree should be irrigated consistently to keep the soil conditions average to moist. Like most crabapples, occasional pruning and maintenance is required. Suckers should be removed if they develop in summer, but pruning should be done in late winter after the threat of extreme cold has passed to remove damaged, diseased, or misplaced growth. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. Previous Next

< Back Chokecherry (PRUNUS VIRGINIANA) - Chokecherry Previous Next

< Back Juniper Tree (JUNIPERUS SCOPULORUM) - 'MOONGLOW' Juniper 'Moonglow' is a very columnar tree with upright, bright, bluish green, needle-like foliage. Many landscapers enjoy it as an accent, combination, or screen planting thanks to it's neat and tidy upright growth. It has slightly blue cast, scale-like needles and the foliage serves as a pleasing contrast to other garden colors. It's branches ascend vertically contributing to the trees overall pyramidal shape. The bark of a 'Moonglow' Juniper is typically reddish brown, but can turn gray over time and exfoliates into thin strips which gives it somewhat of a shredded appearance. It is an easy specimen to grow. Standing at 20' tall and 5-8' wide, 'Moonglow' has a neat and tidy, columnar growth habit. As a cultivar of Rocky mountain juniper, it is cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 3 and is very durable. Rocky Mountain Junipers are listed as a selection in the University of Wyoming "Conservation Trees & Shrubs For Wyoming" guide. This variety does best in cool climates and can tolerate a wide range of site and soil types, other than wet sites. It requires full sun for best blue color development and is extremely drought tolerant. Requires no pruning, but will handle it fine if it is clipped and, like most Junipers, is relatively free of insects and diseases. 'Moonglow' Junipers require very little water, but should be watered two to three times per week for the first month after being planted. Continue to monitor throughout the first year by using a trowel to uncover the first two or three inches of soil and checking moisture levels. Once established for a year, fertilize once in early spring (around April) and again in late summer (September) with a slow-release granular fertilizer with an NPK of 16-4-8 or 12-4-8. Junipers can be used in xeriscaping for water wise plantings. Previous Next